Releasing yellow birch saplings and poles

Abstract

Yellow birch needs moisture, nutrients, overhead light, and enough space for the crown to expand in order to compete successfully with faster-growing northern hardwoods. By releasing crowns early, you can increase the number of future veneer and saw log trees in a stand and double the growth rate, thus cutting rotations in half. If you delay crown release too long, growth response is poor. After 45 years most birch trees in unmanaged stands occupy such poor crown positions that little can be done to improve them.

Parent Publication

• Northern Hardwood Notes

Citation

Erdmann, Gayne G.; Peterson, Ralph M., Jr. 1992. Releasing yellow birch saplings and poles. In: Hutchinson, Jay G., ed. Northern hardwood notes. St. Paul, MN.: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station. 4.10